Directions Extends Call To Artists With Disabilities For Athletic Artwork
Directions Extends Call To Artists With Disabilities For Athletic Artwork
OLEAN - Directions in Independent Living is seeking visual artwork portraying the joy and exuberance of athletic ability by artists with disabilities for an art competition which runs through June 11th. Artists with disabilities of any kind and any age are encouraged to submit artwork depicting athletic abilities of running, walking, and riding (anything on wheels) despite a disability.
The winning artwork will be used in promotional materials for a virtual 3.1 Mile Run/Walk/Ride which will run from July 26th through August 1st, marking the historic passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990.
Entries in the art competition will be accepted through June 11th. Winners will be announced on June 21st. For an entry form and more information about the art competition, please see Directions’ website at www.oleanilc.org or call 716-378-9438. Artwork can be emailed to victoriakearns@oleanilc.org or dropped off at Directions’ Holiday Park Plaza office at 2626 W. State St., Suite 202, from 8:00am-4:00pm Monday-Friday.
The Tri-County Arts Council (https://www.myartscouncil.net/) will partner with Directions in Independent Living in adjudicating the art entries. While only one design will be selected for use on event promotional materials including t-shirts, all entries are valued and will be exhibited in the front window of the Tri-County Arts Council Clay Studio at 110 W. State St., Olean; in Directions’ 512 W. State St., Olean front windows; posted on Facebook, and submitted to the news for publication.
The art competition and Virtual 3.1 Mile Run/Walk/Ride are celebrating the additional civil and social freedoms people with disabilities have due to the passage of the ADA 31 years ago. Freedom of expression in both the arts and athletics are emblematic of this historic legislation.
The Virtual 3.1 Mile Run/Walk/Ride invites everyone from throughout the Southern Tier and beyond to participate virtually on Facebook with photos and videos of their participation in the event. Fee per individual is $10. Families including children and pets may participate for a group fee of $20. All entries may purchase a t-shirt depicting the art selected for the event.
Further details about the Run, Walk, Ride will be forthcoming.
Addendum: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, ADA, prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal, and later sexual orientation.
However, unlike the Civil Rights Act, the ADA also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities, and imposes accessibility requirements on public accommodations.
ADA disabilities include both mental and physical medical conditions. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations provide a list of disabilities which include deafness, blindness, an intellectual disability, partially or completely missing limbs or mobility impairments requiring the use of a wheelchair, autism, cancer, cerebral palsy, diabetes, epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia.